How did the Chevy do in Le Mans?
Chevy, through Corvette Racing, has enjoyed significant success at Le Mans in the GT classes but has not claimed the overall 24 Hours of Le Mans title.
Across decades, Corvette Racing has built a storied Le Mans record, competing in GT1 and later GTE Pro/Am categories with the C5.R, C6.R, C7.R, and C8.R, delivering class victories, podiums, and consistent pace for American fans and endurance racing alike.
Chevrolet's Le Mans footprint
Corvette Racing’s Le Mans journey spans multiple generations of GT-class machinery. From the early GT1 days to the modern GTE-Pro/Am era, the program has established itself as a durable American challenger against European factory teams, earning class victories and frequent podiums even as the overall win has remained elusive.
GT1 era: early domination and class wins
The C5-R era established Corvette Racing as a top endurance contender at Le Mans, with the team winning the GT1 class and consistently challenging rival manufacturers from across Europe.
- Established Corvette Racing as a leading American manufacturer at Le Mans
- Secured multiple GT1 class victories and regular podium finishes against strong European factory squads
- Built a foundation for sustained success in the race’s future formats
These years cemented Corvette’s reputation at Le Mans and laid the groundwork for the program’s enduring presence in the race’s modern formats.
GTE Pro era: the shift to European-style GT rules
With the transition to GTE Pro, Corvette continued to contend for top honors in the premier GT category, frequently challenging Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and other European manufacturers in a tightly contested field.
- C6.R and C7.R campaigns yielded consistent class podiums and strong finishes in the top GT category
- Corvette Racing remained America’s flagship endurance program at Le Mans, showcasing reliability and speed over 24 hours
- The team navigated balance-of-performance adjustments to stay competitive in a dynamic class
The GTE Pro era reinforced Corvette’s status as a perennial Le Mans contender, even when the overall victory remained out of reach.
Modern era with the C8.R: staying in the hunt
In the 2020s, the C8.R carried Corvette’s Le Mans ambitions into the next generation of GT competition, continuing to push pace and reliability in the evolving GTE Pro/Am landscape.
- The C8.R demonstrated improved pace and competitiveness, keeping Corvette in contention for class honors
- Participation across GTE Pro and GTE Am formats highlighted Corvette’s versatility and depth in endurance racing
- Continued brand visibility for Chevrolet through a high-profile, globally watched race
In the modern era, Corvette Racing remains a strong, recognizable presence at Le Mans, regularly finishing in the mix for class honors even if the overall title has not been captured.
Notable moments in Corvette's Le Mans history
Key moments illustrate Corvette Racing’s enduring legacy at Le Mans, marked by breakthroughs, persistence, and sustained competitiveness across generations.
- Launch of the C5-R era, establishing Corvette as a dominant GT program at Le Mans
- Transition to the C6.R and C7.R, delivering continuous GT-class podiums against European rivals
- Adoption of the C8.R, signaling a renewed push for pace and reliability in the contemporary GT landscape
These moments underscore Corvette Racing’s influence on Le Mans history and its role as a steadfast American competitor on endurance’s biggest stage.
What to watch next
Looking ahead, several factors will shape how Chevy performs at Le Mans in the coming years.
- Continued development of next-generation Corvette race cars within the GT framework to sustain pace and reliability
- Adapting to evolving balance-of-performance rules and competition in a changing endurance racing world
Chevrolet’s Le Mans story remains one of resilience and consistency, with Corvette Racing continuing to be a fixture of the event and a symbol of American endurance racing prowess.
Summary
Chevrolet’s Le Mans narrative is defined by Corvette Racing’s strong GT-class performances, a series of class victories and podiums across GT1 and GTE eras, and a sustained commitment to competing at the highest level of endurance racing. While the top overall prize has eluded the team, its impact on Le Mans and its reputation as a premier American endurance program endure.
Has Chevrolet ever won the Le Mans?
Most of those successes came in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), where Corvette led in all-time victories and 1-2 finishes, along with 10 team championships and 10 manufacturer titles – both ALMS records – for Chevrolet. Corvette Racing and Chevrolet also have won in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times.
How did Chevy do at Le Mans?
Chevrolet has a successful history at Le Mans with Corvette Racing winning their class seven times, and more recently, the NASCAR-built Camaro ZL1 successfully finished the 2023 race in the special "Garage 56" class. The Garage 56 car completed 285 laps, finishing 39th overall despite some mechanical issues late in the race.
You can watch this video to see how the NASCAR Camaro was faster than other cars at Le Mans: 49sDriver61YouTube · Jun 17, 2023
Corvette Racing
- Multiple class wins: Corvette Racing has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times in its class, according to General Motors media.
- Record-breaking performance: The team also holds records for the most victories and 1-2 finishes in the American Le Mans Series.
Garage 56 NASCAR Camaro (2023)
- Successful completion: The unique NASCAR-spec Camaro ZL1, built for the special Garage 56 class for innovative projects, successfully finished the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- Finishing position: The car finished 39th overall out of 62 cars entered, completing 285 laps.
- Strong performance: The Camaro topped lap times in the GT class at various points and ran near the front of the GT field for most of the race.
- Late mechanical issues: The car experienced late mechanical problems, including unplanned stops to change brakes and a gearbox issue, which prevented it from finishing higher.
Did Carroll Shelby actually win Le Mans?
Yes, Carroll Shelby won the 24 Hours of Le Mans multiple times: he won as a driver in 1959 with Aston Martin and later as a team manager for Ford, leading the GT40 to victory in 1966 and 1967. He also achieved success as a manufacturer when his Cobra Daytona Coupe won the 1964 World Sportscar Championship, which included races at Le Mans.
- As a driver: Shelby won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959, co-driving an Aston Martin DBR1 with Roy Salvadori.
- As a manufacturer: He developed the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, which competed at Le Mans and won the 1964 World Sportscar Championship.
- As a team manager: Shelby led the Ford GT40 program to victory in 1966 and 1967, marking the first American-built cars to win the race.
What happened to the Camaro at Le Mans?
24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 finished the endurance race in the 39th position out of 62 cars entered in the event. The team's goal was to be finish the race and they were able to do just that. In the process, the team fixed a drive line issue that cost the squad about an hour of track time.
